36 | FEBRUARY 15 • 2024 J
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very family has “that” sentence that 
can have everyone dissolve into 
laughter because it reminds them of 
something from the past. In Lauren Slutsky’s 
case, it was her Holocaust survivor Grandma 
who said something memorable. 
But let’s backtrack. Meet Lauren, a 
born-and-bred Detroiter who grew up 
in Farmington Hills and attended Eagle, 
Warner and North Farmington. Her grand-
parents, Nomi and Walter Lion, moved to 
a condo in Florida when she was in fourth 
grade and her family would often fly out to 
visit them. 
“Starting in 1982, there was this big group 
of kids from around the country, all visiting 
their grandparents in Fort Lauderdale at the 
same time,
” explained Lauren. 
Within that group of friends was a boy 
from Atlanta who was visiting his grandpar-
ents, Ben and Evelyn Belchinsky: a certain 
Jeremy (Jeb) Belchinsky. He was shorter 
than Lauren, but that didn’t matter. The two 
developed a crush on each other and showed 
it in the special way that preteens do.
“We’
d share Walkman headphones … I’
d 
save him a seat at the pool with my towel 
… We sent letters to each other during the 
year,
” remembered Lauren. 
They usually hung out at Lauren’s grand-
parents’ condo, Jeb said. 
One day, Jeb’s grandma called Lauren’s 
Ggrandma to thank her for having Jeb over 
all the time. 
“I hope he’s not a bother,
” Jeb’s grandma 

said worriedly.
“No, no, he’s a really nice kid,
” Lauren’s 
grandma poo-pooed her. “
And you didn’t 
have to call me … It’s not like they’re getting 
married or anything!”
Actually, grandma, fast-forward a decade 
and that’s exactly what they did do!
But, at the time, Lauren was in sixth grade 
and Jeb was in seventh. First, they finished 
middle school, then high school and went 
on to college — Jeb at University of Georgia; 
Lauren at Eastern Michigan — and briefly 
lost touch.
After they’
d graduated, Lauren’s best 
friend, Erin Shafritz, moved to Atlanta. 
“I still knew Jeb’s phone number by heart 
so the first time I went to visit Erin, I called 
him, said I was visiting Atlanta and why 
don’t we meet up?” Lauren said. 
They agreed to meet at the Cheesecake 
Factory.
Lauren told Jeb, “It’s been five years since 
we saw each other; I might not recognize 
you. What will you be wearing?”
The answer: A white shirt and jeans. 
Lauren and Erin waited, checking out each 
male who wore a white shirt and jeans, until 
Jeb walked in and Lauren realized she’
d had 
nothing to worry about. “
After about seven 
men, there was Jeb in his white shirt and 
jeans — and he looked exactly the same!”
They picked up where they’
d left off, cute 
crush included, and soon they were talking 
all the time. Eventually, Lauren moved to 
Atlanta. 

By 1996, Jeb was ready to pop the ques-
tion … but he couldn’t do it without Lauren’s 
grandma present! 
“That was how we met; where it all start-
ed! She was part of it!” Lauren laughed. 
So, Jeb drove Lauren on a surprise trip to 
grandma’s condo in Florida and only then 
got down on bended knee. 
“She always loved Jeb; she’
d seen us both 
grow up. She was so excited about it!” 
Lauren said. 
Actually, everyone was excited about it. 
Lauren’s friends had all heard about “Jeb 
from Atlanta” since they were in middle 
school!
“Who’
d have thought we’
d have reconnect-
ed after all those years; it was kind of crazy,
” 
Lauren said. 
In 1997, they married at Temple Israel and 
in 1999, moved back to Michigan. They live 
in Huntington Woods and are the proud 
parents of Ari, 22, a senior at University 
of Michigan, and Lola, 19, a sophomore at 
University of Wisconsin-Madison. They 
attend Aish HaTorah. Jeb is self-employed 
and distributes and sells spinal medical 
devices; Lauren has her own hand-beaded 
jewelry company, “Love, Lauren.
” She also 
works for inSIGHT Through Education, 
which funds Holocaust education in the 
Palm Beach County school system in 
Florida. 
They fondly remember the sweet old 
days when they were kids, although now — 
unlike when they first met — Jeb is taller 
than Lauren! 

This column will appear biweekly. If you’d like to share 

your ‘meet-cute’ story, please email burstynwithjoy@

hotmail.com.

‘At Bubby’s Condo’

ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

OUR COMMUNITY
HOW WE MET

Lauren, Ari 
and Jeb 

Ari, Jeb, 
Lauren and 
Lola

In middle school, Lauren 
was taller than Jeb.

